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Red Iochroma

Iochroma fuchsioides

Please take your time removing your plant from it's packaging.

Your plant was grown in filtered light, not direct sun, so it should be acclimated to direct sun slowly. I recommend starting your plant in a 1-2 gallon pot, so you can slowly move it from shade to sun over a period of several weeks.  Start by giving it bright, indirect light or filtered sun for the first week.  After this, give it an hour or two of morning sun per day.  If all looks well after several days, give it about an hour more sun every 4 or 5 days.  This will give your plant time to grow a larger root system, so it can handle more light without burning or wilting.   

Before removing your plant from its pot, give it a watering if the soil is dry, so it doesn't break apart, which can damage the roots.  If you have trouble removing the plant, push the eraser end of a pencil into the holes at the bottom to loosen it.

Soil -- Iochroma likes rich but well-draining soil.  So use soil that's high in organic matter like compost, and add sand or perlite too, for drainage.  I like to mix in a slow-release organic fertilizer at planting time.    

Planting out -- After your plant is around 2 feet tall, it's ready to plant in the ground.  If you're going to grow it in a container, repot to a 3-5 gallon pot when the roots reach the bottom of the container.  Repot again to a larger pot when it becomes rootbound.  The size of the final pot depends on how big you let it grow.  Larger plants need a lot of water, so keep this in mind when choosing a pot size, or the plant may dry out unexpectedly.  In hotter areas, try to shade the pot, to keep the roots cool.  In the ground, mulch the plant well, for the same reason.

Climate -- Red Iochroma likes part sun to full sun.  In hot areas, it's best to give it mid-day shade.  They are very sensitive to frost, and will drop their leaves with just light frosts, but they can come back from the roots on mature plants after freezes of 25F, if mulched well.  Iochroma won't flower if the weather is too warm.  Don't grow it where heat can accumulate, like near a sunny wall.  It flowers best with cool nights (45-65 F), and daytime temps of 55-80 F.  

Watering -- For the first month, ensure that the original soil ball remains moist (but not soggy).  Don't allow the soil to dry out.  I recommend using a moisture meter probe, which you can get at most garden shops for about $5. 

Fertilizing -- Give monthly feedings with ordinary vegetable fertilizer or the equivalent.  The more growth your plant has, the more food it will need.  Follow the label's recommended dosage carefully.  Don't try to force more growth with more fertilizer.  It's normal for a few of the older leaves to yellow and die throughout the year, but if it's excessive, it could be from not enough fertilizer, particularly nitrogen.    

Pruning -- Remove the growing tip of a shoot to make the  branch become bushier.  After a branch has flowered, prune it back and new growth with emerge.  

Propagation -- Cut 5" branch, remove the leaves on the bottom half, and clip the remaining leaves in half or slightly more.  Stick it in a pot of moist soil.  Cover the pot with a clear plastic bag that has a couple small holes punched in it. Put the pot in a bright but sun-free spot until it's rooted.  A fluorescent bulb kept 6" away gives the right amount of light until it has roots.

Bugs to watch for -- Spider mites (tiny "dots" under the leaves), Aphids (green ones are hard to see), snails/slugs.

By the way, you may notice a light film on the leaves when your plant arrives. That's anti-transpirant spray to help retain moisture while it's in the mail. It's harmless and flakes off by itself in a few weeks.

If you have any questions or problems, please email me.

Enjoy your plant!

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